I'm at York Beach on a weekend, at the height of the summer tourist season. Something I previously avoided now seems like a mini-vacation, if only for an afternoon and an evening.

There's a surf shop and the ocean. Families splash in the water, beach balls are tossed, there is plenty of snoozing in the sun.

I should come here more often!

Why haven't I? Ah, well ...

But I came to check out Stones Throw, a beachy oasis with rum drinks and great sandwiches.

The third addition to what I call the "Joe Lipton Empire" (also involving Chris Crane and Michelle Friar as partners), Stones Throw is only a bit farther than a stone's throw from the threesome's other properties, Inn on the Blues and Guac-n-Roll.

Each spot has its own character. Inn on the Blues is a fun live music venue, Guac a laid-back Mexican joint, and now we have Stones Throw, a cool little oceanview spot with delightful decor and vibe.

Lipton's now-signature, streamlined garage doors open the entire restaurant to the sea just across the street. The decor is perfect for the setting: all subdued colors and understated materials, including a long concrete bar and stone tap handles made by Dover craftsman Jeff Henderson.

You just don't need a lot of "stuff" on the walls when that big ocean is out there with its serene breeze wafting over the crowd. Sit inside, outside, or at the bar.

Maine brews are on tap here — Rising Tide, Baxter — and there are delicious tropics-influenced cocktails, including a rum punch. They have rum infusing and some selections of both tequila and rum I hadn't seen before, and the bar is a lively spot, as you'd expect when most everyone there is on vacation.

I haven't made it in for breakfast (there's an inn attached) or lunch, but I went a few times for dinner. The food is casual and fits the overall theme, but it also has elements of the new breed of "hip" restaurants, with everyday items taken to a new level.

Case in point: the homemade potato chips. It's a big pile of crunchy chips covered with cheddar, bacon, tomatoes, and sriracha ranch sauce, then baked. They're like nachos, but ... they're chips! Share a big plate or order the version with blue cheese and a sriracha barbecue sauce. (Get ready, I'm going to be writing "sriracha" a few more times. They love the stuff here.)

Another good sharing dish is the Buffalo shrimp ($11) — small, sweet shrimp lightly coated with a slightly spicy sauce and served with a chilled blue cheese dressing for dipping. They come in a big silver mixing bowl and are very difficult to stop eating. '

The fried calamari with a sriracha ranch dip ($11) are crisp and tender, but with a little bit of chewiness that makes them interesting.

"Craft" sandwiches are the new burger, it seems, and the sandwich menu here is heavy on the amped-up grilled cheese.

My The Steakin' Grilled Cheese ($13) was a variation on a cheesesteak with thick-grilled sourdough bread holding in gooey cheddar, peppers, onions and spicy barbecue sauce. It's served with dilly beans and the plain version of the homemade chips, all on a metal tray (this is the new wooden board or slate — they're all over Austin). It's a substantial sandwich and delicious.

Also intriguing is the Jam, with cheddar, blue cheese and blueberry jam; or the Strongman, with spinach, bacon, red onion and hey, look — sriracha!

Be sure to try the Bahn Mi Dog ($8), a variation on the Vietnamese sandwich with a plump, grilled hot dog (a vegetarian version is available), pickled carrots and cukes, cilantro, and ... sriracha mayo.

But try a salad. You can get one of six varieties and add steak, chicken, a tofu salad (which comes out a bit like egg salad) or seared tuna.

The best choice is the California Salad with greens, avocado, wasabi peas and ramen noodles, with the addition of tuna, lightly seared and served with a touch of wasabi. A snappy ginger-sesame dressing ties it all together.

You can also get the tuna as an entree with veggies and roasted potato, or opt for fried pork belly on a sweet potato hash, maybe even a steak.

I'll go for those when the weather gets a bit cooler.

For now, keeping it casual and doing some heavy grazing in the family-friendly dining room is great fun, as is snacking at the bar where the resort feeling helps you meet other strangers on vacation — even if you live only a few miles away.

Rachel Forrest is a former restaurant owner who lives in Exeter (and Austin, Texas). Her column appears Thursdays in Go&Do. Her restaurant review column, Dining Out, appears Thursdays in Spotlight magazine. She can be reached by e-mail at rachel.forrest@localmediagroupinc.com.